


The good doctor

by amarmeme



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, Loud Sex, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Post-Game, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 03:24:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11728488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amarmeme/pseuds/amarmeme
Summary: Lyssa Ryder was sidelined by a fluke, sentenced to a coma for being the second twin awakened during the Scourge. She can't be too mad at it though, Harry Carlyle is a very good doctor. After coming back from the ordeal with the Archon and starting up her life for real, Lyssa isn't sure if she just wants Harry or something infinitely more complicated.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AceQueenKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceQueenKing/gifts), [oratorio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oratorio/gifts), [StarGazerGamer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarGazerGamer/gifts), [Vorcha_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vorcha_Girl/gifts).



Lyssa Ryder held her breath as Harry grasped her wrist, checking her pulse. He was entirely too close, leaning into her space, his aftershave a mixture of something dark and musky. It filled her senses and completely overwhelmed her. Shameless dirty thoughts flooded her mind as he bowed his head in concentration, listening to the beats of her heart. Her pulse rioted beneath his fingertips and Lyssa was helpless to get back in control. Holding her breath wasn't helping either, but she was ridiculously nervous, afraid he'd somehow be able to scan the ideas in her head as easily as the details on her chart. She hoped lust wasn't written in her expression.

“You should probably exhale now, Lyssa,” he said. She let out a shaky breath, laughing a bit off-kilter. Harry smiled just so, the corners of his mouth lifting in slight amusement. How was he so smooth when she was such a mess?

 _Because he's your doctor, almost as old as your dad and not interested_ , she told herself. It was becoming a mantra of sorts, but the words never really sunk in. She still wanted him.

“Your pulse seems high, but that's to be expected,” Harry dropped his grip on her. Lyssa felt herself moving forward, chasing the contact. “Everything seems to check out alright, but I'd like you to stay overnight just in case. It's hard to say if there’ll be any effects, but I'd rather not risk it. I've not had a patient presenting with mind control before. You and your brother have given me my share of heart attacks in the last few months.”

She smiled noncommittally. Lyssa thought she might blurt out something ridiculous otherwise. Harry caught notice of her unusual solemness, and frowned. He stepped back to grab a stool from the aisle and rolled it over to sit at her bedside.

“Are you alright? Lexi said you were limping when you came out of the vault, but scans seem fine, no visible damage. Are you feeling sore at all?”

She blushed, mind immediately going _there._ If only he knew the kind of sore she wanted to be. Harry kept his green eyes focused on her, waiting.

“I’m okay, Dr. Carlyle,” she squeaked.

“Dr. Carlyle? So formal Ms. Ryder. I thought we were better friends by now than that.”

By now Lyssa could probably describe Harry's features better than he could. Did he notice how attuned to him she was? His hand rested on the edge of the cot and she fought the urge to touch it, to rub her thumb against the back of it. In the month since she’d woken up, Harry was the constant in her life. Not her dad, whose passing was still a bit of a shock, nor her mom who was also shockingly still alive in stasis. And Levi was off being the Pathfinder, a job he'd never meant to have, but seemed destined for. In fact, Harry was the one who’d calmed her down after she's woken up and realized everything had gone to shit while she slept. His rich, warm voice had wrapped around her like a blanket. Very soon after, two realizations came to Lyssa: she was seriously attracted to her doctor in more than just a passing way, and Levi would definitely not approve.

“You're right, Harry,” she said. “I'm still a little shaken up by what happened.” _Lie._ “I'm not feeling like myself.” _Lie. “_ I’d better get some rest, I'm exhausted.” _Liar._

“I'm supposed to say that last part,” he said, patting her hand as he stood. “Lyssa, I'm not a psychologist, but if you need to talk about anything that's happened, I'm here for you.”

“Thanks, Harry.” She shifted onto her side and pretended to get ready to sleep, resting a hand beneath her pillow. “I know and I appreciate it.”

He lingered for a moment more, fingers digging into the crisp linens as if he was waiting for a sign, holding on at the edge with the barest of hope. She was really reaching with the interpretation, but she _wished_ he was hoping for more from her. Lyssa was too scared of what that rejection would feel like, assured as it was. The moment passed. Harry shook his head and said farewell.

I'll see you in the morning. Rest up.”

“Good night,” she replied.

 

* * *

 

He really needed to ease up on Lyssa Ryder. She was practically fraying apart at the seams in front of him and he'd been thinking about fucking her. Not only was it wildly inappropriate as her doctor, it also had the added bonus of feeling extremely predatory. Lyssa was of age, but that still didn't make him feel less of a pervert thinking about her. She looked every inch a goddess with her soft skin, clear blue eyes and the buttery blonde waves cascading over her shoulders. More than anything he wanted to kiss her, take that plump bottom lip between his teeth and wrap his hands in her silken hair. As she spoke, he couldn't stop picturing how he wanted her to react to a kiss: a little shocked at first, a flush rising over her cheeks, but ultimately melting at his touch. Harry would have brought her back here, to his small, shitty Nexus apartment, but it would have to do.

Still a bit mystified by how this young woman had gotten under his skin, Harry poured himself a drink. After patching up Dutch after a minor scuffle at Vortex, he'd been granted a bottle of the finest scotch. With a splash of water the drink was complete, and Harry sank into his couch willing his mind to stop fixating on the woman half his age.

Of course, trying to convince yourself not to think of something was a surefire way of it being the _only_ thing you can think of.  Before he knew it, Harry had the glass on a knee with his eyes screwed tight, head against the back of the couch. The first image that came to mind was her there, straddling his hips, leaning in for a kiss. _Ah, fuck me,_ he thought. _She's your patient, young enough to be your daughter, and not interested._

Lyssa was a knock-out, and even though he tried not noticing her, it had been too long since he’d had sex not to. Her stunning legs, narrow waist and quick, easy smile would fixate anyone with a pulse. But if he was being honest, it wasn't just her looks that hooked him. Harry wasn't so old yet that he couldn't get laid; Lyssa just made it impossible for him to want anyone else.

When the Archon took her, he’d been crazed, irrationally thinking of getting back in his armor and charging after her. And now that she’d returned, he tried to care only about making sure she was physically sound and healed, but Lyssa’s presence demanded more  than that. Every time he saw her he wanted to ask about how she was doing, beyond her health, beyond assessing her clinically. She was bright, and so damn open, telling him everything she ought to say to Levi or her dad, but couldn't because neither were around for obviously different reasons. She’d only been chatting, no -- confiding, for a month, but every single word Lyssa said felt sincere, bleeding with honesty. And even for their age difference, the confessions spilling out of her mouth were actually relatable. Lyssa felt just as misled and conflicted as he did. Andromeda was not what either of them anticipated, the dream that her father and his friend had sold them on. Harry wasn't sure at first if Lyssa confided just because he was her doctor, but by now he'd fooled himself enough to believe they were friends. Somewhat more than friends.

Truthfully, friends didn't feel deep enough to cover the connection they shared.

Harry took another swallow, enjoying the smooth burn. He deserved any and every discomfort. Because there, on his midlife crisis couch and against his better judgement, Harry decided he was going to confront Lyssa Ryder.

Thank god Alec wasn’t there to knock him flat on his ass for trying it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The doctor will see you now...
> 
> This was a partial draft that begged to be completed with the Harry/Ryder requests. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw -- very nsfw

She was finally free of the Cryo bay, but for some reason it wasn’t satisfying as she’d imagined it to be a month ago when she woke. Levi was still gone, Pathfindinding his way across the galaxy. He’d meant to be here today, but something “important” had come up. Lyssa frowned at her new, empty Nexus apartment, wishing her brother was there to help her move a few things around. Instead of setting to work herself, she messaged him with her omni-tool.

_There’s just so much heavy stuff and none of it is organized. Really wish I had a brother to help me move in!_

A moment later, a light ping chimed; he’d actually messaged her back right away. She flicked open the message. It was a picture of Cora, a biotic blue arc coming off of her, shoving a large chest across the floor of his quarters. A line of text was the subject: _Yea, sorry Lys -- I kind of underestimated my girlfriend's own abilities again. I’m an idiot._

She typed back: _At least we both agree :P_

 _I deserve that_ , was his immediate reply. _She’s moving down right now then we gotta run to Voeld. As soon as we’re done I promise I’ll stop by and see you for real._ _Is Harry around? I bet he’d help._

Her gut clenched, as if Levi knew what Harry really meant to her. But of course he didn’t, there was no reason to think he would. No one would suspect a connection between them, and so it was better to pretend it didn’t exist.

 _I feel bad asking him_ , she typed. _He’s had to look at my ugly mug for more than two months straight._

_He’s one of dad’s buddies, I’m sure he thinks of you as his kid. No one thinks their own kid is ugly._

She wanted to throw up, right then and there on her new apartment floor. No part of her wanted to answer that, but the longer she delayed, the more curious Levi would get. He was great at detecting bullshit. In person, that “ugly mug” comment would have set him right off. Lyssa had to be careful. She didn’t want her brother knowing about her feelings, even if they were one-sided. The best approach was to just go with his suggestion. Whether she called Harry or not was a different matter altogether.

_Fine. If it’ll ease your guilty conscious. You owe me. I’m saving the heaviest stuff for you and Cora can’t help. ((say hi for me))_

_Pttthhh, no challenge. And she says hey back._

Lyssa blinked away her omni-tool and straightened her ponytail, readying herself for work. As much as she wanted Harry to be there, she just couldn’t do it. She didn’t want to seem codependent. Her mouth had run enough in the last few weeks that he probably was enjoying the quiet today.  

She set to work, starting with the easier pieces. She really would reorganize the bed and the couch and the entertainment center when Levi and Cora showed up. The table and chairs were stacked in the corner, gathering dust. Lyssa arranged them then wiped them down, and carried all of her boxes over and placed them on top of the table. It felt good to move around a bit, to be alone for a while and not have any random beeping and signals chiming around her as she waited for something to do. After nearly ten minutes of work without noise, she broke down and queued up a playlist of her favorite songs. Figuring most of her neighbors were working, she turned it loud, the synth-pop blasting through the standard-issue speakers. That was one upgrade she was looking forward to purchasing.

Lyssa hung her clothes, sorted through her box of decorations and decided where to place them in the small room. She moved with no real path or plan, hips swaying to the beat, hair whipping over her shoulders. There’d been no time to work out between waking up and getting captured, then recovering all over again. Lyssa was getting one now, hefting up heavy boxes and bending over to sort books and collections of pottery from the different planets she visited back home. She was an antique hunter, an art aficionado with an eclectic taste in decor.  Achieving the perfect balance in a space took time, and she loved doing it. Once  things became a bit more settled in Andromeda, Lyssa hoped she could switch career tracks and become a decorator for real. For now, Lyssa would belong to Kandros’ team. Levi had invited her to come along on the Tempest, but as much as she wanted to say yes, she needed her own life.

She recalled the discussion she had with Harry on the very topic. He’d not dismissed her ideas of artistic pursuit like Levi or her Dad would have -- he’d smiled warmly, then said, “You know, I could see that.” Lyssa’s heart had leapt at that statement, then soared when he added, “You should talk to Addison. She’s going to need people interested in designing all those colonial spaces after all.”

A flood of gooey, happy energy ran through her at the memory. Really, she was far too smitten for how long they’d actually been talking with one another, but with all the drama back-to-back, something as normal as love seemed a relief.

Lyssa stopped in her tracks, purple flecked vase in her hands. This was not love. Strong like, definitely. Lust, absolutely. But love? She’d never really been in a real relationship before. A lot of guys couldn’t handle her dedication to the Alliance on top of her dad and Levi. Lyssa  placed the vase on a table before she crushed it. Sinking onto her bed, which was still in the middle of her apartment, Lyssa cupped her chin and rested her elbow on a knee. Thinking about Harry was a bad idea. Being around him was agonizing in the best and worst way. But were her feelings for him more intense than any other time she met a guy she wanted to sleep with? She snorted. Harry wasn’t a “guy.” He was a forty-something-ish man (wow, she hoped that was as old as he was).

Someone knocked and Lyssa jumped off the bed, hitting her knee on the nearby entertainment stand. She cursed and hobbled over to the door, opening it with one hand while rubbing her sore knee with the other. She turned down the music with a voice command. Maybe Levi had sent someone -- he knew far more people than she did on the Nexus.

Harry was in the door frame, holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand and what looked like a tool box in the other. He was in normal clothes, dark slacks with a grey henley, the collar open. She could see at least an inch of skin that she couldn't before, and was unable to stop her mouth from slackening. Lyssa scrambled back out of the doorway and limped a little, hopping to compensate her sore spot.

“Are you alright?”

Harry immediately set his things down in doctorly concern. Before he could touch her leg, and send her jumping for another reason, Lyssa sat on her bed again. _Shit, not the bed_. She got up and leaned against her terrible, bruise-inducing entertainment center.

“Fine, just, banged my knee.” He looked concerned, and was about to insist something. She kept talking, though there were no clear thoughts in her head. “Did Levi send you? How did you know to come over here? I didn’t call.” _Ugh, smooth Lyssa._

“Were you talking about me with your brother?” Harry picked up what he’d left on the floor and brought them over to her kitchen table, moving a few boxes aside.

She shrugged. “He felt guilty.”  

“So I take it he’s not coming over today? At all?”

“Nope. Too busy playing house himself. Not that _I’m_ playing house. I live here, there’s no playing.” She wanted to kick herself.

Harry smiled. If he thought she was being an idiot, he didn’t let it show. “I can help you move that. So you don’t hit your knee again.”

“Sure.”

He walked to the other side and got a good grip on the solid cabinet. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and the corded muscles revealed there made her mouth go dry. The doctor was fit. Not that she had any doubt. They lifted the piece of furniture with a one-two-go. “As your doctor, I shouldn’t be saying this, but maybe I shouldn’t be helping you move this. I’d take any reason to see you -- even if it was just a bruised knee.”

Lyssa’s cheeks went red. Was he hitting on her? That felt like flirting. She forgot what she was doing, and nearly dropped her end. Harry grinned into his chest.

“Was that -- were you?” They heaved the cabinet against the far wall from where her couch would go.

“Yes.”

Lyssa blinked, set a hand against the edge of the cabinet and leaned into it. Was this really happening or was the Archon still holding onto her mind and into some real domestic shit?

“You have to have noticed how I’ve been looking at you. I’ve tried to hide it, but I know how often I checked on you for no damn good reason. ”

Was he seriously coming on to her? Lyssa shook her head, chest bubbling up with excitement over Harry mooning over her like she had him. “No. I had no idea -- I thought I was annoying you. If I would have known, I would have called you over more often.”

He laughed, that rich, deep voice doing things to her arousal. Like pouring gasoline on a bonfire. They stood only a few feet apart, the width of her wonderful, miraculous entertainment center. Neither moved, but the look in his eyes dared her to. Lyssa gave in. She had to make up for her lack of smoothness earlier. She was far more skilled at this than she was letting on.

She practically jumped at him, knee injury far forgotten. Harry shook his head with a grin as he pulled her the final distance, hands on either side of her head. She grabbed onto his shirt and their lips met at the same time.

It was amazing. Lyssa was his height, maybe a smidge taller even. Their mouths were perfectly aligned, perfectly in sync. The rush of gooey warmth was back in full force and Lyssa was squishy with happiness at each pass of a tongue, or nip of his teeth.  She pushed him back towards the direction of the bed and he groaned, deliciously low and graveled, the sound of it shooting right to the pit of her stomach.

“You can’t make noises like that,” she said. “I’m going to melt.”

That was a piece of valuable information it seemed. The gleam in his eye was unmistakable. He was going to use this to his advantage in the next few minutes.  

She backed him up against the bed frame. Harry’s hands smoothed down to her arms and he held her in place before she could knock him down. A serious look crossed his face, not too dissimilar to when he discussed matters of health with her.  

“I think we need some rules,” he said. “That fair?” Lyssa nodded. “First, I really shouldn’t be your doctor anymore. If you’re okay with it, I can talk to a colleague and ask them to take over.”

She nodded again, no disagreement there.

“And I’m fine with whatever you want here. If this is a one-time thing, I’m too old to be picky.”

She groaned. “Oh god, Harry. Okay, before you go any further please promise me no more old jokes. That’s not helping.”

“Yea, just a reflex I guess,” he said sheepishly.

“And while we’re at it, no doctor jokes. And I will not call you--”

“--don’t even say it.” He put a hand up in front of her mouth, fingers touching her lips. Lyssa latched onto his wrist and kissed those strong fingers.

“I think we’re set then,” she murmured.

She wasn’t ready to talk about whether this was a single night of recklessness or more. He nodded slowly, clearly realizing she didn’t want to make a decision. Done with talking, Lyssa pushed against his chest, Harry sitting back on the bed. She straddled him, threading her fingers through his hair. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but the silver and grey look was supremely hot. His mouth met hers again, just as heated as before. Lyssa loved being on top, setting the pace and making him tip his head back and grip her around the waist. She darted her tongue into his mouth and he made another guttural sound. It was so low it practically rattled her eardrums. She needed this bad.

Lyssa leaned back and ripped off her tank top, throwing it to the ground. She wanted him to see her, touch her. Harry went straight for her bra, unclasping it with one hand. Slipping off the straps, Lyssa caught his gaze and held it as the cups revealed her to him. To his credit, he didn’t look away from her face until she held the bra aloft and dramatically dropped it to the floor. The way he held eye contact with her was a nice change from the other guys she’d slept with. There was no way they’d take this as slow, as tortuously teasing. Her pants would have been off and she’d of been dumped on her back within seconds, the stud ready to pump away. Maybe chasing an academic type was a better decision. He certainly had the focus.

“You're too far away,” he said, after getting a nice long look at her chest.  

“You can come and get me whenever you want,” she teased.  

He pulled her back into his embrace, running his hands along her spine. She gasped as he sucked on her neck, then deposited kisses down her shoulder and over her collarbone, tongue dipping in the grooves. She shivered with want, wiggling over him, pressing against his lap. Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and tugged upward, abruptly ending the path his lips were making across her skin. He shrugged out of it and they tossed it aside, revealing his broad, toned chest and stomach. Dark grey hair threaded with silver covered his defined muscles too, a thick trail running down below the edge of his pants. Lyssa wanted to follow that line, nibble her way down his exquisite upper half. The feel of him beneath her palms was maddening: warm, russet brown skin stretched taut, all new to her. She didn't even know where to start.

Well, maybe she had an idea.

Lyssa slid down to the floor, wedging his knees further apart. Leg muscles tightened as she traced over them, eager to reach his belt. She pulled it free and winked as it whisked through the pant loops, Harry's steamy gaze encouraged more, and faster. Buttons were snapped, boots kicked free, pants discarded to the floor. She pulled his briefs over his erection, setting it free. She cupped his balls, wrapped her other hand around his length and bent down to take him between her lips.

Ah, the feel of him was unreal. It had been too long since she’d done this, the swirl of her tongue around the silky head, bobbing while stroking, massaging below at the same time. The satisfying noises returned; Harry was vocal. It drove her wild, increasing her tempo and taking him deeper, lips meeting her hand in a coordinated attempt to make him fray a little. She glanced up to see his hands inching towards her, hesitatingly, and she took one and gave permission. Fingers caged the back of her head, sinking into her hair. Lyssa caught his grey-green eyes again, and held his attention as she hollowed her cheeks and ran the edge of her tongue under the ridge of his cock. He squinted, lines at the edge of his eyes pronounced, then pulled her off him completely, cock falling out with a _pop_!

Harry bent over and kissed her, tongue exploring her slick mouth, grip on her hair a little tight. A strangled yes rumbled out of her chest and he pulled away, pushing her back down to his lap. Lyssa panted before taking him deep, teeth gently running over him on the way up. She repeated the motions several times until he pulled her back again. Hands found her hips and encouraged her to stand.

Blood rushed to her head as she jumped up, dizzy with want. Her clit pulsed, swollen and aching for touch, aroused without needing attention. Harry peeled her tight leggings off, stunned momentarily when he saw she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“I have no idea where to launder them,” she said, shrugging.

He shook his head while Lyssa stepped out of her leggings. Thankfully she’d cleaned up that morning, giving herself a trim for the first time in, well, centuries. She was completely bare save for three strips of hair forming a downward pyramid over her mound. It had been trendy back in the Milky Way. She hoped it didn’t make her seem... _too young._  Lyssa shooed the thought out of her head and crowded him. Harry licked his lower lip and brushed against hers, first two fingers pressing between her labia.  The keening sound that forced its way  between her teeth was desperate. Kisses were pressed to her abdomen before he thrust inside of her; fingers finding her wet and wanting. She raked her nails over his temples, around and down his neck, tipped over him as he kissed lower. The pace was lazy, imprecise, fingers dragging in and out of her pussy in a way that drove her crazy, no rhythm to set her hips to. He wasn’t trying to make her come, just having a fine time teasing her.

Suddenly she was bereft of touch. A little whine left her throat and then Harry scooted back on the bed, coaxing her down.

“Come here,” he commanded. Like a switch that voice was. One that flooded her with desire each time he spoke. Harry stretched on his side and her heart fluttered in anticipation. Lyssa slid next to him. He pressed her into the mattress, forcing her on to her back. Reaching up, she freed her hair, letting it fall past her shoulders. He damn near growled, coming in to tangle his hands in it, to kiss her with a cascade of blonde waves framing her face. It was hot, how much he wanted her, obvious in his hard cock against her thigh, the widening of his eyes each time she revealed something new. Fuck, him wanting her made her want him all the more.

Harry slipped an arm beneath her neck, pulled her against his side and cupped her breast with the hand thrown over her shoulder. A gentle squeeze made her groan into their kiss. Breaking from her lips, he captured a dusky rose-colored nipple in his mouth, nipping and then salving over the spot. A bolt of shimmering pleasure ran straight to her core and Lyssa grabbed onto the arm trapping her.

He started pleasuring her again, fingers stroking between her thighs, tweaking her nipple. He was everywhere at once, sucking and nipping at her breasts, her neck, an earlobe. Lyssa wasn’t used to being the sole focus. It was intense, almost all of her sensitive spots engaged at once. He sank a finger in her and she dug into the mattress, panting and clawing at his arm.  

Lots of little whimpers fell out of her mouth as he set a pace, unlike before. She rocked her hips and ground up where he thumbed her clit.

“Look at you,” he groaned, watching her move. He exhaled and bent over her ear. “I'm going to love watching you come,” he said. His voice was too fucking much at a moment like that. A shiver went over her, hair on her arms rising. That seemed to be the right reaction, because he kept talking, deepening that thick, gruff tone even more. “You are so goddamn tight. I can’t wait to slide into that wet little pussy.”

“Ha-rry.” Her voice shook.

“Yea, _Lyssa_?” He rumbled into her neck then sucked there, heat pouring over her. A hot brand jutted against her hip, just offering up a promise of what was still to come.

She started splintering then, pieces of her breaking off, flying away. Floating to the ceiling, squeezing beneath the door, escaping into the vacuum of space. He was all over her, around her, on top of her,  _in her._ Lyssa cried out, again and again, and had to throw a hand over her loud mouth, frankly a little embarrassed by how hard he was making her come. He swiped the hand away and kissed her instead. She was spent by the time his other hand slowed, her breaths coming in heavy pants, skin flushed and a bit shiny with sweat. The back of her knees were damp; her hair was a mess.

It was the best orgasm she’d ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a good doctor, doing house calls.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also nsfw

She may have liked his voice, but Lyssa shouting out as she clenched around his fingers was more than gratifying. She was a siren. She’d beckoned him all along with her words, making him like her despite his reservations, but now her little shaky pant of his name sent a surge of pleasure into his groin.  He was ready to fuck her at last, now that she’d came first, ready to get her on her knees or back on his lap. Whatever she wanted, it really didn’t matter to Harry. He’d already gotten way more than he’d bargained for today.

Truly, he’d only stopped by to help, remembering her mentioning the move. So, he brought the wine as a gift and some tools she’d maybe need. As soon as he heard Levi was off station, well, he had to try. And it had been surprisingly easy. Lyssa Ryder had wanted him just as much it seemed. That was unexpected.

Lyssa was tamping down her hair, trying to keep it out of her face, still breathing heavy. Once it was arranged, she grinned and grasped him again, long, slim fingers wrapping around his cock.

“How do you want it?” she asked. Lyssa flipped onto a side, mirroring his pose. She stroked up, making his hips want to rise off the damn bed and thrust into her palm.

“I don’t much care, as long as you let me sink into that pretty little pussy soon.”

She blushed, then laughed, still stroking. “Okay, dirty talker. Are you still good? I mean, I’m clean -- haven’t had a lot of time to mess around. I probably should have asked before I went down on you, but, eh.” She shrugged. “I figured you were a doctor. Probably clean bill of health.”

“You pegged me,” he said.

Lyssa snickered. “Maybe next time.”

Now _that_ was an interesting proposition. His gut clenched at the thought of her doing anything that involved a few straps and a toy.  

She tugged him up from her sheet-less bed. He hadn’t really noticed it before, but they were fooling around on just a mattress. Suddenly he felt a little guilty, jumping her. She barely had the opportunity to get her life together. An annoying layer of doubt crept into his mind. Was he taking advantage of her -- unbalanced as the last month had been since she came out of her coma? _Christ_ , he thought. _Should I really be doing this?_

She lead him to the kitchen table, shoving a few boxes aside as well as the forgotten wine.

“Looks sturdy, right? I think we should test it.” Lyssa jumped up, sitting on the edge and leaning back, spreading her legs. She really did have a great looking pussy, and as much as he wanted to clear the air between them, it was impossible to resist taking her now. She was an adult, if she didn’t want this, he wouldn’t have gotten that far. Any guilt ignored for the moment, Harry stepped between her legs and gripped her hips. He kissed her, softly.  “You are so beautiful,” he said deeply between kisses. She was melting beneath him at the rumble of his voice, just like she’d promised.

He rubbed between her thighs and she hummed, sitting back on her elbows, staring down at where he touched her. On impulse, Harry dropped to his knees, pressing her lips apart and licking her with a broad, flat stroke of his tongue.  She was salty from coming earlier, but still edged with sweetness. He enjoyed the taste of her, he didn’t have any doubt he would. One look and you could tell Lyssa was meant to be consumed, drop by ever-loving drop.

The tasting didn’t last long. Leaning against the table wasn’t actually comfortable, Lyssa switching from one arm to another to carry her weight. Once she grew wet, she sat up, pushing against his forehead.

“We can do that later,” she said. “I need you inside me.”

He stood, stroking himself to get fully hard, tapping the head against her wet folds, enjoying the slickness and the promise of heat. “You are gorgeous.” He knew he kept repeating himself, but really, there was no reasonable explanation why someone like her would waste her time on an old man. He wasn’t going to hold it against her, though there was no mistaking he was the lucky one in this situation.

“Thank you.” Lyssa wrapped her legs around his waist, crossing her heels. “I kind of regret the table, it's not very comfortable. Will your back hold out if you pick me up?” She grinned, teasing him.

“Just for that,” he said, and entered her in a swift thrust. A rush of air hissed between her teeth, her eyelids flickered shut. He gathered her, heaved her up and carried her back to the bed. Falling into it was easy, but Harry was careful to not crush her on their descent. She squealed a little, pleased that he’d actually done it. Maybe his back would be sore for it, but it was worth it.

Lyssa laid back, adjusting, shifting her legs to one side of his chest, ankles at his shoulder. It allowed him deep, and they both groaned as he sank in further. She was tight, her slick channel gripping him. Every time she moved around, he groaned more. She cupped her breasts, softly teasing her own nipples. It was definitely good for him too, watching the peaks harden, feeling a rush of wetness as she worked herself up.

“You’ll come again for me?”

“That's the hope, sweet talker.”

He would talk himself hoarse if it meant she'd clench around him. Harry moved, holding her ankles with one hand and her hip with the other. The place was slow, achingly slow. He teased her too, pulling out completely for a moment, letting go of her ankles and holding his cock just at her entrance, hovering. She bit her lip in frustration. Everything felt deeply fulfilling, satisfying the woman who made him feel a little less lost, a little less aimless. Sure she'd been his purpose so far, but it was a good one. Pretty soon they'd be waking  more and more colonists and he'd be busy, probably too busy to pay her the attention she deserved. He didn't want to think about that though. Harry folded her over so he could kiss her, pushing her knees to her shoulders.

“Ahhh, ah!” Lyssa squeezed his ass and his entire body flushed with warmth.

“Is that good for you?” She closed her eyes and nodded, chin starting to waver as he pushed deeper yet. Each drive into her was faster, a bit harder. It felt like something under his skin was rising, a full-body awareness as he watched the shades of pleasure transfix her expression. Her hands found his shoulders and she dug in. The coiling in the pit of his stomach began to build. “I want to make you come even louder this time.”

She shook her head. “I want to when you're kissing me,” she groaned. “That was so h-aaah!” It certainly wasn’t gentle now, hips slamming into her. He had to rise up off the bed and his back was definitely going to be sore later, but maybe she'd massage it out for him. Before long she pushed at his chest and looked up at him, eyes full of passion. “Fuck me from behind,” she gasped.

He had to think of something else to keep from coming: the worst compound fracture he ever had to fix, an ankle bone flopping free. It worked and he edged off, leaning back, helping her spin around quickly so he could sink in again.

Lyssa's gasping as he entered her again set his blood on fire. She shook a little as he forced her upright from her knelt position, forearm between her breasts and hand splayed against her chest, fingertips pressed into her clavicle, part of her throat and the dip between -- the suprasternal notch. The response was extraordinary, Lyssa gripping that arm so tight, her nails threatened to pierce his skin. Each thrust dislodged a groan from her chest and they were increasing in volume. Her music had been playing this whole time, relegated to background noise, but with a strangled shout she gave a voice command to turn up the volume. That was a goddamn great sign. He kissed the side of her face, her ear, anywhere he could reach until it wasn't enough. Harry pulled her chin to the side to capture her mouth in a searing kiss, beginning to feel her walls tighten. He held her flat against his chest, the hand on her chin moving to a hip to make sure he didn't lose pace. They were both close.

“Be as loud as you want,” he said against her ear. “Even if someone’s around they'd get to know how much you like my cock deep inside you. How you like being fucked from behind.”  She groaned. “Louder,” he teased, nipping her lip. His hand crept up higher, just loose around her throat.

“Fuuuuuck,” she yelled.

“Come on me,” he growled. “Lyssa you need to soon -- you feel too fucking good.”  He dropped his head to her shoulder and focused on the rhythm. Pumping harder, driving her harder. He really hadn’t had sex like this in a while, even before leaving the Milky Way, but he’d do anything to fuck her like she wanted. He gripped a little more around her neck and that was it, her muscles around him clenching tight. He didn't forget about her request, and sought her mouth, it was open in a little 'o’ and she grabbed the hand on her hip to help her carry through her orgasm. Their fingers wound together and her breath caught under his kiss.

“ _Harry, you--- ugggh._ ” She let loose a deep-throated laugh, rocking back into him as hard as he gave, riding out the waves of her pleasure. He had to fight to kiss her, and he chuckled, she really _was_ loud. He actually did hope the neighbors were gone.

As she ramped down he wound out, unspooling at last, the milking of her muscles drawing out his own orgasm. It wasn't nearly as pronounced, but seeing as she already came, he dropped his light grip on her neck and ran that hand over her back, tipping her forward. He kissed the back of her shoulders and she squirmed; Harry grabbed both of her hips now, driving it home.

As he came, one thing became clear: sex with Lyssa Ryder could never be a one-time deal. He wanted to do this for the rest of his life, if at all possible: making this incredible creature moan and swear and buck beneath him. How he was to convince her to stay with an old man past his prime was a different matter entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The benefit of an older doctor is his experience in the proper bedside manner.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a tinge nsfw

While all Lyssa wanted was to collapse into a ball of blankets and snuggle with Harry, there was neither any blankets on the bed nor a man to do so with. Minutes ago he’d finished inside her, much to their mutual satisfaction thanks to the procreation blockers, and Lyssa had wavered a moment in indecision before excusing herself to clean up. Now, standing at the edge of her bathroom door, naked and alone, Lyssa was starting to wonder if she'd been duped.

“What the hell, Harry,” she griped. There'd been no indication of him being this big of an asshole before today. Had she simply read him wrong the whole time?

No sooner had the thought came to her than the door popped open, revealing Harry, carrying two indiscriminate drink canisters. The relief was immediate, and she cursed herself for jumping to the worst conclusion.

“Seeing as you only have wine, I got us coffee. It's terrible, but we've got work to do.”

Lyssa smiled, stepping out into the main room, pulling her hair into a sloppy top knot. It was adorable, really, his confident smile and pep in his step.

“You did come for more than just the sex,”  she said. Harry closed the door behind him and left the coffees on the closest surface.  Before she could slip clothing back on, he caught her up in his very clothed embrace. “I could hardly tell for how fast you started hitting on me.”

He laughed, all rich and smoky; she really liked making this man laugh. “I’ll remind you that I already moved one piece of furniture.”

“Oh, are we thinking of a pay to play arrangement here?” Lyssa squealed as he bent over to kiss a breast, both weighed in his hands. “I still need help with the bed, the couch and I probably have to move every single decoration around once it's settled.”

Harry massaged her breasts and kissed her quickly before swiping down to grab her clothes. “As tempting as that sounds, I do have to stop back to Cryo to check on things tonight. I want to help you before I go.”

Lyssa slipped on her leggings, catching the slight look of regret in Harry’s eye as they were back on.

A pleasing thrill ran through her at that. She could hardly believe what had happened today really occurred, but there he was, ready and willing to help her move heavy things around, giving up his free time to be with her.

In all, finishing the apartment was too quick for her liking. Together they moved the bed into a corner, the couch in the center of the room, and put away everything Lyssa owned. It wasn’t a lot; weight limits had reigned supreme after all. She’d stepped back at the last, surveying the space and finding that while it wasn’t as charming as her place on the Citadel, it would more than do for now. The Nexus was temporary anyway. Her long-term  hope was for a place on Meridian.

With all the work done there came an awkward silence. Harry hesitated near the door, unsure what the parting protocol was. She didn't know either. While she wanted to kiss him, tell him she wanted him to come back tonight and every night after, she hesitated. Was that really what she wanted?

Regardless, there wasn’t time for introspection. Lyssa hesitated too long and Harry kissed her cheek.

“I've got to go,” he said, letting her know with a squeeze on her elbow that the ball was in her court. “I'll see you later, Lyssa.”

She stood at the door far longer than necessary after he walked out, questioning whether or not to ask him back that evening for another round.

 

It ended up thusly: Lyssa didn’t call and he didn’t come back that night on his own, or text her the next day, or the one after that. Lyssa was annoyed, but not completely without sense. Harry had made the first move, and it was her job to make the next. While she was young, she didn’t want to seem desperate for his attention. No doubt a 40-year-old would want his space.

So then she was keeping him in wait on purpose -- there was plenty to do now that she had an apartment and a job. She found the laundry for one, and food for her apartment and then of course doing her stints in security. And yes, most of the 72 hours was spent thinking about Harry when not tasked with something all-consuming, which frankly wasn’t often. Nexus security control became pretty blase once Levi had found Meridian and people began calming the hell down over getting their family back. And while the boredom brought on thoughts of Harry in bed and the excitement they could be having instead, that was a dangerous desire. Lyssa was only 22 -- she had no designs on acting like a serious couple straight out the gate. But truthfully, she couldn’t be casual with him. The coffee had sealed it for her. Harry wasn’t a one-night stand kind of relationship, even if he said he didn’t care. She couldn’t see him again and not crave more. She either had to call him up and be ready to take the relationship seriously, or just keep putting off the hard discussion of tabling it until she was ready to be committed. She knew what her heart wanted: it ached to be in his embrace again. Her head told her it was just too soon. She’d been awake only five whole weeks. That was it.

Lyssa sat in Kadros’ office, waiting for her boss to return. The gun at her hip had never been tested and her hands twitched in anticipation. She’d seen absolutely zero action in Andromeda besides being captured. And that hardly spoke for her skills. Kandros had only been working with her for a week now, but Lyssa needed to get off this station and on the ground before she went stir-crazy. Ryders didn’t just sit and wait for opportunity. Or, at least not when it came to their careers. Relationships for Ryders were usually more tricky, though Levi was starting to bust her stance on that.  

At a few minutes past the hour, Kandros strolled in. He observed Lyssa silently, measuring probably how impatient she was knowing that he wasn’t on time. She didn’t let it show.  Kandros could have made her wait all day and she’d have reacted the same. She was here for a more serious posting and that meant showing composure. He dropped down in a chair across from her and started first.

“You didn’t go with your brother. I have it on authority he asked for you. Why is that?”

His voice was just as affecting as Harry’s. Lyssa ignored it for her sanity: it wouldn’t help being attracted to her boss. Never before did she have such a fixation on older men. God, she hoped that had nothing to do with her dad being gone without a chance for closure. Just, _no._

“We came to follow our dad’s dream, and while Levi’s taking that mantle up nicely, I don’t want the same.”

Kandros considered her, arms crossed.

“You spent how long in the Alliance?”

“Four years, straight from graduation on. Military was drilled pretty hard at home.”

He humphed, as if he could relate. Of course he could -- turian. “Did you see any action at the Prothean dig site? How’d you handle it?”

Lyssa smiled slowly, this was cake. She liked Kandros’ straight-forward approach. “Yes, sir. Scavengers mostly -- people looking to sell big and quick. They’d come in hot, drop-ships ready and filled with guys ready to waste ammo. It was a semi-regular routine, but we perfected it. There were few spots to park a ship with enough space to fit the cache and the crew. So we’d patrol there more heavily than at the dig itself. Never once let an artifact get stolen, no casualties. It was a good team.”

“What was your role?”

“I lead one of the strike zone teams, had about ten people under me.”

That was enough for Kandros. He nodded and flipped up a screen. Lyssa leaned forward to read it: an assignment.

“I thought you would be perfect for this. Your brother actually called it in. There’s a group of kett smugglers running on Voeld, taking more than just arms from the Resistance there. They’ve got their hands on a machine, lets them penetrate the ice and break down to the city beneath. Stealing artifacts and tech no one’s touched in years. There was an AI down there at one point, one Levi put out of commission, but beyond that we’re not sure what the kett are getting into. No one likes it.”

Lyssa nodded, it was right up her alley. Excitement rose up, bubbling in her stomach. “How many guys?”

“You and six others. At least for now. Areas still full of kett, and no one wants them setting up a permanent shop so close to the outpost.”

“When?”

“As soon as you're ready. You can brief the team en route, check in with Priya Blake at Taerve Uni.”

“I’m ready today,” Lyssa assured. “Anything else, sir?”

“Not on the mission.” Kandros stood, towering over her for a moment until she also got up. He still loomed over her. Lyssa was tall, but not turian tall. “But you do a good job out there and we’ll talk something more permanent when you return.”

Lyssa nodded. “Thank you, sir.” He returned the gesture and then she was out the door, ready to grab her gear and meet her new team.

It didn’t even phase Lyssa that she might have something to do first after all; that perhaps there was someone she should check in with before heading off the Nexus. Full of enthusiasm for her new assignment and ready to prove herself useful for once, Lyssa finally had something to fully occupy her mind.  


Voeld was ridiculously cold.  Why the Initiative even bothered with a settlement on the ice planet was beyond Lyssa. Who would volunteer to settle here when Meridian existed? Teeth chattering beneath her helmet, Lyssa strode for the outpost’s main building, looking to get square with Priya Blake as soon as possible. Her team followed behind, four guys and two other women. It was a nice mix, three humans, three turians and one asari.

She spoke over her comms to the team. “There’s nothing more motivating than not turning into a popsicle out here.” A few chuckled, she was pretty sure the asari groaned.

SAM spoke. “Your brother has said the same thing, Ryder. Perhaps the expression ‘two peas of the same pod’ holds some truth.”

Lyssa laughed, that was a voice she hadn’t heard in awhile. Not since before leaving the Milky Way. “SAM? I thought for sure you would have ditched me as soon as I turned Levi down.”

“No, Ryder. Your brother specifically asked that I ‘watch out for his sis while she’s on the ground.’ While I don’t have the same insights into your physiology or responses, I am here to assist you if you require it.”

Lyssa smiled. That was very much like her brother. Always being protective, even if she didn’t need it one bit. “Well, tell him thanks for me, and that he still owes me a visit.”

A minute passed before SAM relayed that the message had been received and Levi’s response was simply, “I know.” She shook her head. He was protective, but not smothering at least. Snow crunched under her boots, a step up from the slick ice spot directly beneath their shuttle landing. The heat lamps around the outpost were working nicely, and a few people lingered outside of the buildings, talking, laughing, trading intel. It seemed things weren’t entirely dire at the outpost yet. Perhaps the kett were just an encroaching threat.

Lyssa and her team found Priya easily enough. The red-haired woman was inside, talking to Addison over video conference. Lyssa motioned for her team to hang out while she spoke to the captain, and they gladly lingered in the warmth of the seating area, chatting amicably. Most of them knew each other already.

“Excuse me, Captain Blake?” Lyssa spoke as soon as Addison blinked away.  The woman turned, a not so-serious expression across her features. She offered a hand as soon as she realized that Lyssa was one of Kandros’, and asked her to sit.

“Another Ryder,” Priya said. “I’m glad we’ve got one to spare.” Lyssa frowned a little, then schooled her expression -- she was no spare. “Addison told me that Kandros had assigned you to check in, make sure the kett aren’t getting in the way.”

“Yes--”

“Well, I don’t have much to tell you right now. It's been a few days since they were busy above surface. We think that they’re finding something below the ice that could be of value, but there’s no way of knowing without sending a team down. I am not willing to sacrifice my own people for a frankly thankless task, and the Resistance is too busy trying to figure out how the kett got their hands on the machine that thaws the ice in the first place. Apparently it's one of theirs.”

Lyssa hummed noncommittally, expecting Priya to say more. She didn’t.

“And that’s really it, then.”

Priya raised her hands. “We’re not a military outpost. For some reason your brother decided to push the top to prioritize science over man-power, and well, maybe that wasn’t the right course seeing as kett are everywhere these days.”

That was rich. Lyssa had heard about enough. While the colonists down on Voeld seemed to be getting a bad shake -- stuck on a barren ice world, that had nothing to do with her brother. And telling her so was just idiotic. Maybe this Captain Blake didn’t get enough people time, but Lyssa wasn’t about to let her vent.

“I’m here now. My team will base here, but we’ll start making in-roads this afternoon. First a few look-outs, just to see what’s happening, and then we’ll assess whether it's smart to find a way down.”

The captain shrugged. “Keep them out of the way and we’re fine.”

“Understood,” Lyssa said. She offered to shake the woman’s hand, eager to get that exchange over with as soon as possible. It seemed everyone in the Andromeda Initiative had attitude. Getting over the mess they’d been dealt with was going to take time. A lot more time.

Two of her people went to scout: the serious asari, Plethandria, and one of the turians, Vixus. The rest talked over the strategy here, whether it was smart or not to go down and see what the kett were up to, or whether it was better to wait up top. It certainly seemed wiser to wait, but not knowing what was happening below didn’t really put them in an advantage. Lyssa asked the group what they’d been seeing so far. Her limited experience outside of the Nexus wasn’t something she wanted to advertise, but it was better to admit some ignorance and build some trust rather than assume her past experience applied

“ The kett are still somewhat erratic,” Richtus said. The turian had peach markings, a shade Lyssa had never seen before, and he considered her briefly before adding, “It doesn’t appear anything’s changed with the Archon gone.” She took no offense to that mention, and he continued. “We find them everywhere, searching for tech and equipment.”

“They never seem to quit,” another voice chimed in. It was the human woman, Deirdre. She had the best hair in Andromeda, as far as Lyssa was concerned -- a curly undercut, bright red that complemented her dark skin. She’d have to ask about that later. Deirdre continued, “As soon as we bring one group down, another pops up at a different colony. We’ve been on the move for weeks, just chasing them.”

Even with the Archon gone the Initiative was still playing catch up. And it was no surprise -- the kett knew this galaxy far better. There needed to be even more coordination with the Resistance for them to squash the kett for good, but then again, there was still the Roekaar to contend with. Lyssa wished there was an easy way to defeat all the forces against them, but that was hardly what they’d set out to do in Andromeda; they just weren’t equipped for large-scale warfare.

So it came to small skirmishes like this one, and often. Lyssa listened to her team a bit longer, asking questions about tactics they’d employed with the kett before, how long any one area stayed clear of kett after being cleared. It was all useful: these people had been working for much longer than she had, and Lyssa was getting the sense that she had been sent out here as a favor to Levi. That was fine, she’d take a favor. As long as there was enough room to prove herself, she wasn’t going to turn her nose at opportunity.

The scouts returned. There were kett still on the surface, guarding their piece of tech. They were well hidden though, not apparent from the south side of the area, the direction they were coming from. The scouts had to climb up a mountain to get behind them, and while it was difficult, it wasn’t impossible.

“Alright,” Lyssa said. “Here’s how I’m calling it. We have no idea what’s down there, and no way of knowing how many kett are below. We should climb, get situated, and take them out. We’ll bring up some of our gear and do rotations if we need to, but once they come surface, we should all be up and ready to sneak in from the north where they’re not looking.”

There were nods all around. No one seemed opposed to caution.

 

They were up on the mountain for hours. Day turned to night and still the kett didn’t come out of their hidey hole. Everyone got a good look at the machine that melted hundreds of feet of ice. It was massive, towering at least thirty feet high. It seemed to sink below surface a few feet as well, and when not being operated, left space for the kett to take a ladder down to the cavern below.  Once the two watch guards turned it on, pulling the ladder up first before the machine shot a blast of heat down the tunnel. Somehow it pulled up water as it sent heat down, sucking up a stream that vented out the top of the device like a blow-hole. It was hailing once they’d finish clearing the area, water freezing as soon as it was pushed out the machine.

It was impressive, and Lyssa had to wonder who owned it first. The kett didn’t seem to be the best inventors. Tinkerers yes, scavengers, completely -- picking up people like spare parts, creating an army out of kidnap victims.

With the sun down, the mountain top was nearly unbearable. They had equipment to stay out there for a while yet, a heater that warmed a lean-to for folks to rotate through, but Lyssa couldn’t believe how long they were down there below. She pulled her team back together under the warmth of the lean to, to talk next steps.

“We’ve tried the cautious route, which was the smartest plan at first, but I’m ready to get moving. If we don’t, I think we’re more likely to freeze our asses off standing here.” A few nodded their heads. “Now, I think we can still play this smart. There’s a small team and we’ve got to make it down blind. My suggestion is this: we drop those two watch dogs, send one down the hole and see if anyone comes up. From what you’ve told me, kett are highly reactive. So if they don’t come up, there’s a high probability that no one is standing in wait at the bottom.”

Everyone agreed; moving off the mountain was better than not. Extreme weather had a tendency to make people impatient. Maybe it was instinctual: no one served being frozen to death.

“Deirdre and Vixus, you stay up top and keep watch. The rest will go down, following me.”

They set off. Dispatching the two kett up top was easy. They’d been completely oblivious to Lyssa and her team, watching towards the south, expecting someone from the outpost if anything. Lyssa gave Plethandria the honor of dropping the kett down the tunnel. The asari used her biotics to throw the body down, it plummeted soundlessly for a good moment, until a crash certified that ground wasn’t too far below. A good five minutes passed before Lyssa felt it was okay to head into the darkness. She turned to Deirdre and Vixus.

“We’ve only seen them use this once,” she pointed at the hull of the ice melting machine. “But if things look a little icy, please use it. We really don’t want to get trapped.”

“Got it,” they said.

And so came the descent. Lyssa peered down. There was no light, except the one on her helmet. With the tilt of her chin, the kett who was unceremoniously dumped below became visible. His body was twisted, contorted with the fall. Lyssa gripped the ladder and started climbing down.

Passing through layers and layers of ice was a bit unnerving. She’d never been claustrophobic before, but the idea of a cave in was unpleasant. The kett had been down here for hours though. She really hoped that they weren’t just crushed under ice and she was the next victim.

These fears fell away as she entered the cave. It wasn’t a cave at all, but an underground road. Beneath her feet was the angaran city that came before the ice out. The direction the kett took was clear, tracks in the snow. Someone must have had a more portable version of the machine above, and blasted heat towards the direction wherever goodies laid. The buildings on the right side were scorched, but not burnt, black marks against the metal structures. On the left were pellets of ice and snow, the off-shoot from the machine, like a massive snow blower. It must have taken them time to get through all that ice.

Her team descended and they set off, walking slowly with their weapons at the ready, checking the gaps in the ice walls to their left and right. The path turned, at an almost 90 degree angle. With it came light. They checked down the corridor. A few kett stood in front of a hole in the ice wall to the right side. There was no way of knowing how many kett were inside that room. Lyssa wished she had the scanner Levi had. He used it all the time to discover intel he’d otherwise have no way of knowing. She’d just have to do it the old fashioned way.

“Plethandria,” she said through the comms. The asari joined her side. “Can you push those two out of the way, quiet like?”

“I can do more than push them,” she said. Lyssa smiled.

“I just want a good look of what’s behind door number one without letting anyone know I’m peeking.”

“No problem.” Plethandria edged around the corner at Lyssa’s call, then hugging the wall, caught up the kett in a biotic cage, hovering just above the makeshift door. They were immobile, trapped in the asari’s pull and helpless to do anything but simmer in their trap.

Lyssa snuck by, gave her a thumbs up and hoped the asari could hold it for a while.  She turned off her light, afraid it would reflect off something in the room. The door was actually a blast through a metal wall, the same kind that had resisted the heat blasts. Someone had an effective weapon with them. Lyssa glanced through a mess of warped metal, hiding her from clear view. The room before her was filled with kett, at least twenty, painstakingly taking apart what looked to be a massive weapon in the center of the room. It was turret-like, and far too large to come out the way they'd traveled through one complete piece. Clearly the kett were trying to figure out how it could be disassembled, then reassembled. Others were walking around the room, collecting up weapons that had been long forgotten into large containers for carrying them up and out. It was a far more organized operation than she had expected. Plethandria spoke into her comm.

“How much longer?”

Lyssa looked up. The biotic field was still hanging strong, but the way the asari spoke meant she was getting tired. Lyssa backed up, creeping slowly and quietly from the hole in the wall. They still had the element of surprise, but only as long as the biotic’s pull held out.

“Let me get the rest in order and then they are yours to dispose of.”

Lyssa called all on comms. “There’s about twenty kett in there,” she said quickly, for Plethandria’s sake. “Once Plethandria throws these guys, their friends are going to hear. We're going to set up here, in the hall and take them out as they swarm. We don’t have cover, but I have a barricade, and Richtus, you do too, yes?” The turian affirmed. “We don’t have any energy cells down here, and I have a charge of three. That’ll last maybe five minutes. Let’s do this quick. Plethandria, throw ‘em, then get behind my barricade. It’ll be the two of us, Richtus and Sheeta, get back ten feet. Pollt, you’re back at the corner - cover Richtus and Sheeta, they’ll be easier to see coming out the door.” She took a breath, veins buzzing with adrenaline and anticipation. As much as she wanted to retire from military life, it still gave her a thrill to be putting her skills to the test. “Ready?” Everyone agreed and got into positions. “Go, Plethandria.”

Once the asari threw the two guards, breaking their necks on impact, all craziness broke loose. Richtus and Lyssa threw up their barricades, a loud woosh in the hallway from deploying, and kett started pouring out to investigate. Her team was grand. Kett squished through the blasted wall in groups, guns blazing. The strike team did their jobs beautifully. Their shots were precise, their timing impeccable. She was afraid of wasting ammo, hitting someone already marked by a member of her team, but together they created an order in chaos. She got inside, Richtus and Sheeta got out, and Pollt sniped any that Plethandria held up.  

There was smoke in the hallway, obscuring the light. She had to deploy her next barricade early, it began to splinter and there was no use it shattering at her feet. The firepower from the kett was brutal, and a few times she had to duck, duck, duck to keep from getting splattered. They couldn’t use the omni-grenades without damaging everything in the room, which would be useful to at least investigate. So they picked off the kett, one by one until the floor was covered in them.

“Everyone alright?”

“I’ve got a scratch,” Sheeta laughed. He bowed his head and showed her his helmet, where there was indeed a gash across the top. Everyone else was fine. Good thing the helmets had breathing room. They’d have to think of something to seal it up before getting back up the cold, but for now, all was as well as it could be considering the blind situation they were put into.

Lyssa’s barricade fell away. She walked slowly to the hole in the wall, kett piled up at her feet, and checked for any more enemies hiding inside.

“Ryder, there are only 19 in the hallway,” SAM said.

Lyssa was already past the door, standing in front of the twentieth kett.

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” she yelled, attempting to dodge fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kandros would be a difficult boss to work for with that voice...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw... do you see a theme here?

Work was awful; he couldn't focus on anything and everyone noticed, from his colleagues to his patients. Harry’s gaze was ever drawn to the bed where Lyssa had spent most of her days; it was empty now, thankfully, but she’d done far more for his mood than he’d realized. They hadn’t spoke since he’d slept with her.

The days played out as they ought to: new colonists pulled out of stasis, set to rights and set on their way in the usual course. With many of the outposts staffing a doctor planet-side, there were less patients with interesting ailments coming through the doors. While the Hyperion had seen a lot of action in the first days and weeks after docking at the Nexus, things were trickling down. He’d been pretty sure he was getting too old for adventure after the shit storm on Habitat 7, but where was he now? Without Lyssa, it was looking pretty bleak in the Hyperion’s Cryo.

As much as he avoided paperwork, a gig’s worth of bureaucratic tasks waited for him in the office.  Counts, requisition orders, staff assessments, and the like. Harry sat down to attend, attention limited. He had to read the data pads at least a few times over, picturing Lyssa as he’d found her the other day after getting coffee: undressed, leaning against the doorframe with a flash of disappointment that turned swiftly into relief. She’d thought he’d left her there and the flare of angry light in her eyes confirmed one thing: Lyssa expected more than she let on. Whether or not she’d admit that was an entirely different situation. Having gone almost a week or so without a word pretty much confirmed that Lyssa liked her independence. And so, ever the respecting gentleman, he’d given it to her.

He worked over the data pad for at least a good two hours, stretching once in awhile when his back started to ache. Fucking like a twenty-year-old did do a number on him, unfortunately, his back was always a problem. And next time, whenever that would be, they’d take it a bit easier. He was sure he could make her like that just as much.

A colleague leaned in, a short, red-haired woman named Susan. She held the door frame, as if being blown away by wind. “Harry,” she said. “You should come out here. Your favorite’s back.”

He placed the data pad down. His heart started pumping rapidly before he could even make his mouth work. “What do you mean?”

Someone shouted at Susan from the bay, and she gave him a pointed look that said ‘you know.’ He probably did know, but what the hell did Lyssa get into in the last week on the Nexus, and why was there someone shouting?

He took off after his colleague, nearly slamming into the door frame on the way out. A couple people were making a commotion in the Cryo bay, and his pulse skyrocketed. He expected the worst, really. Some kind of rare disease, a side effect of the Archon’s meld with her. He felt sick, everything he’d eaten that day heavy in his stomach. Lyssa wasn’t supposed to be getting in any trouble on the Nexus. He’d been pleased to hear her posting after Meridian. It was supposed to mean more time together. It meant less opportunity to end up killed. She wanted to be a decorator after all, not a military figure.

He turned the corner to find that his worst fears were unfounded. Lyssa was there alright, and surrounded by at least five of his staff. The commotion was her, retelling some story rather animatedly,  two of his interns practically drooling at the sight of her there, hair wind-blown and wild. She didn’t see him coming over, just continued laughing and joking with his team.

“And then my brother’s AI jumps in at the absolute last second,” she broke into a monotone to relay SAM’s message. “‘Ryder, there are only 19 in the hallway.’”

Everyone laughed. Harry had no idea what the hell was going on. He snuck up next to her, while she giggled over the punchline, eyes closed.

“What am I missing here?” he asked. Everyone looked over at him, wide-eyed and wondering how he’d become so stealthy. People starting moving away, patting Lyssa on the arm or saying their see-you-laters. His two interns blushed, and rose up from the stools they’d been sitting on next to her bed.

“Way to ruin a party, Harry.” Lyssa smiled brightly.

With everyone out of the way, he saw it. Why she was in Cryo after all. Her knee was bandaged, the one she’d hit on her entertainment stand before they’d moved it, less than a week ago.  He said nothing, just frowned a little, wondering how in the hell it happened. Lyssa stood up, teetering a little before righting herself. She declined Harry’s helping hands.

“What happened?”

“I needed an excuse to see you. Thought you approved of knee injuries as long as they resulted in me coming to you.”

He almost laughed, was close to, but then thought about her standing on that knee. He grabbed her arm and guided her back down to the bed. He wanted to give chart a second look, to see what had happened without her special brand of embellishment on top.

“There’s no chart,” she warned, smoothing her hand over her thigh. “It wasn’t done here. Someone on Voeld wrapped me up.”

Harry’s mouth dropped open. Voeld? “I thought you were stationed on the Nexus?”

“I was, or I am. Mostly. Kandros had a strike team mission for me on Voeld, kind of like what I did back in the Milky Way.” She gestured to her knee. “Kind of. I never was injured before.”

He had so many questions and no idea where to start. The first thing he wanted to say wasn’t a question at all though, and in staring at her knee, wrapped and clearly still giving her a little discomfort, it gave him the courage to say it.

“You left and didn’t bother telling me.”

That actually hurt. A lot. She’d left the Nexus for a dangerous mission and didn’t even bother dropping him a message after all they’d shared and all they’d done. His chest ached a great deal at that news. It was disappointing to be wrong about someone. A very foolish part of him thought they were getting toward something... more permanent. Or at least something more intimate than friends who shared their disappointments and concerns for weeks and then had sex when the whole patient-doctor issue was over with. Maybe he was expecting too much from Lyssa. She was only 22 after all.

“I came in right away. This happened yesterday. I thought it would have been a quick and easy, in and out. And it was, but I twisted my knee a bit in dodging some fire. I should have said something, but I--” She flushed.

“What?” His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Was she really going to end it here, in front of everyone else? If he looked around, he knew he’d spot at least three of his staff covertly watching over their patient’s charts.

“When can you get a break?” she asked.

“I’m done in an hour.”

“Meet me at my place? I really did come right here.” She gestured to the floor, where her equipment was stacked. That was endearing at least.

“Sure, Lyssa. I’ll see you there. Take it easy okay?”

She rolled her eyes and smiled. “Okay doctor, I will take it easy walking to my apartment.”

  


The last hour dragged just as badly as the rest of the week had. No one gave him a hard time when he cut out at 6:00 on the dot. He raced back to his apartment, needing to change out of his uniform and shower. Dunking his head under water would certainly help clear his anxiety a bit. Why was he so nervous? It's not like he and Lyssa were a couple and this was the end. He had no idea what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.  

At 6:20, he knocked on her door. Lyssa opened right away, as if she’d been waiting nearby. Which was entirely possible, her apartment was tiny.

“Hey,” she said, letting him in.  Harry cut past her and stood still, waiting for her to do something. He felt like a jackass. Lyssa just shoved the door closed and hesitated there, hands behind her on the handle. She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

“Harry--”

He didn’t let her finish. If this was going to be the last time they were together, alone in her apartment, then he was going to take advantage of their standing agreement, unspoken as it was. He trapped her against the door, framed her face with his hands, and kissed her as sincerely as he could. This was not a kiss meant to open up negotiations about what positions they’d take tonight or rules about what one could or couldn’t say in the bedroom. This was a convincing kiss, to show her how good this could be, what was so obvious between them. It wasn’t to rouse her desire so much as to make her realize it was worth it, he was worth it, a relationship with someone far older, and far less adventurous. Even an old man could be spontaneous when he needed to be.

He broke away first, just holding her face for a moment longer. He expected an immediate reaction, but Lyssa looked a bit conflicted, if not still impressed.

“I’m not messing up your life am I?” Harry asked. He had a sinking feeling he was. “I am aren’t I? I’m trying to convince you of something and it seems like you’re about to do the same with me.”

She released her grip on the door after that, moving to cup his shoulders.

“You know, I think you’re all looped because I didn’t ask to be your girlfriend or set any expectations about exclusivity and now,” she paused for effect,” now after I’ve gone and gotten myself injured you’re thinking about how young I really am.” Her blue eyes pierced his mind, siphoning out everything he couldn’t articulate. “You and I were supposed to be discovering new worlds with my dad and instead you were saddled with just me, sleeping through all the good stuff like an idiot and being entirely too familiar with you after.”

“You weren’t--” She didn’t let him speak.

“I so was, Harry! I was definitely taking advantage of you, and how kind you are. And it felt good to have someone listen, but none of that was _your_ baggage. And you are not taking advantage of _me_ right now, like you were just biding your time at my bedside until I was well enough to fuck. That’s not who you are. And that’s the problem, isn’t it.”

It was a rhetorical question; that indeed was the problem. The silence between them could have been uncomfortable, but tellingly, it wasn’t. Harry absorbed everything she’d said, chest rising and falling, twisted with some kind of emotion he wasn’t sure he should mention.

“You’re right,” he said. “I should have let you speak first, instead of rushing you like an ass.”

“You are not an ass.” She hugged him, really embraced him, tightly, her cheek pressed against his own. Lyssa fit perfectly in his arms, breathing evenly against him.  They stood there, holding each other for a quiet minute, not moving forward or backward, just absorbing whatever they meant to each other.  Lyssa kissed him first, lips brushing softly against his, no demand, just a whisper of a promise. He felt it there, felt the hesitance in her afterward, frozen and afraid she’d somehow revealed too much with the gesture. It wasn’t too much, it was just enough.

“I know at first I said I was okay with whatever you wanted, but honestly I’m too old to pretend I don't have wants either.” He expected her to groan at the ‘old’ comment, but she didn’t. “I’m not suggesting you have to make a decision right now, but I want to be honest with you.”

“Thank you for that,” she said.

“I’m probably not what you’re looking for, but I think we’re good for one another. I want to keep seeing you, and not just for great sex.”

“At least you're not exaggerating about that last part,” she joked.

“Not in the least.” He trailed a finger over her clavicle, tracing to the dip at the center, her suprasternal notch. Even though she didn’t want any doctor jokes in the beginning, he planned on giving her at least one anatomy lesson, inch by glorious inch, if she’d allow it now. “How do you feel about what I said?”

“A little scared, a little excited.” Her arms were still wrapped around him, and he thought he could feel that excitement coursing through her. “When I got the opportunity to go to Voeld, I'll be honest, it was the first time I hadn't thought of you at all since I'd woke up.”

That didn't sound good? He held back though, waiting for her to continue.

“For five weeks you were pretty much the only thing I looked forward to every day.  And then when you told me you felt a little the same, well of course I had to act on that. But it was a bit frightening to trust my gut. I don't want to be codependent, I don't want to come to a whole new galaxy to be wrapped up in one person. You've been the constant so far, even more so than my own brother. But I needed to be sure I could find myself.”

“I’m confused here, is this your way of letting me down?”

“What? No, no I'm saying the opposite.”

“Pretend I'm slow,” he advised. “Spell it out for me.”

She thought, hands sagging as she tried to come up with the best way to frame it. “I had to climb a long fucking ladder after hurting my knee and the only thing that kept me from cursing and complaining and refusing to move any further was thinking about what a good line I would have to use on you when I got back. I made it to the top by myself. I realized I'm not being codependent. I can stand on my own and if I fall, I can get myself back up. You’re not my whole world, but you make my whole world better by being in it.”  

He smiled, reflecting the grin on her face. That was a really sweet thing to say. His heart filled completely at the words. “And I didn't even laugh at your joke earlier.” He pushed her hair behind her ear and stroked her face. Lyssa leaned into it, eyes softening, lips parting.

“I realized you probably wouldn't find it funny as soon as it came out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving. That was insensitive. I know you care about me.”

“I really do,” he agreed. He leaned forward, kissing her, hands wrapping around to cup her head. “Let me at least take care of you while you're here. It's been my job for so long and I've grown to really enjoy the perks.”

“Okay,” she whispered. A bolt of electricity went through his chest.

“Really?”

“Yea,” she said, kissing him once more, quickly. “I'd hate for your life to get too boring.”

She led him to the bed eventually, careful to not put too much strain on her knee. Everything was much slower this time. He helped her strip, taking off her long-sleeved shirt and sports bra, making eye contact all the while. Need simmered there, and a bit of vulnerability too. This wasn’t fucking between friends. While they hadn't said it, both knew they were falling for one another. It came to her shorts. She peeled them off, rolled them down to reveal everything. Lyssa steadied herself on his shoulder, stepping out of her shorts and kicking them back.

“You still haven't found the laundry I take it,” he teased.

“No, I just knew you were coming over.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear. “And I know how much you like it.”

He groaned, taking her ass in his hands, fingers brushing her pussy from behind. She was already wet. Lyssa let out a huff of hot air in appreciation and started taking off his clothes.

They ended up in the bed with Lyssa on her back, bad knee propped up at his insistence with a few pillows. He spooned next to her, smoothed her hip, kissed her neck and shoulder and whispered dirty suggestions. Lyssa reached over, stroking him, teasing him. They lasted a while like that, warming each other up, enjoying the intimate embrace. Then Lyssa begged to be entered and he was all too happy to oblige.

It was a lot gentler, but no less intoxicating than the last time. Harry coaxed the good knee up, held it in the crook of his arm, urged her to touch herself and he drove into her deeply. Each renewed thrust shook a gasp out of her, stuttered breaths that lodged right beneath his ribs. She took his other hand with her free one, squeezing his fingers with each insistent thrust.

“I'm coming,” she announced, right before he could tell. His turn wasn't too far behind, Lyssa's grinding and breathy chant of 'yes, Harry’ and 'oh, yes’ tipping him over the edge.

Afterwards, they stayed there, pulling up the sheets to cuddle in bed for a minute or two. Not every day would allow them this much free time. He pulled her snug against him and kissed anywhere he could reach. Lyssa ran her fingers through his hair and sighed.

“There's only one challenge left I guess,” she said at long last.

“Yea?” He couldn't see any challenges. He had Lyssa-colored glasses at the moment.

“How should we tell Levi?” Harry chuckled into her shoulder. “What's so funny?” she asked.

“Cora’s at least ten years his senior, and closer with your dad than even I was. He doesn't have a leg to stand on, Lyssa.”

“Oh,” she said, catching his chin with her index finger and guiding him to look at her. She stroked his beard then held his chin in place to plant a soft, sweet kiss. Her tongue darted forth, teasing, tasting. She sighed, then pulled back, eyes glinting. “Then you won't have a problem telling him when he gets here. Which, according to SAM, is about one minute from now.”

She sat up, stretched and rolled off, as limber as a cat. “This is for making me think you ran off last time!” Lyssa laughed, edging her way into the bathroom, closing the door just as a knock came from the hall.

He shook his head and chuckled. What else could he do? She was right: life with Lyssa Ryder in it promised to never be boring.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doctor's orders call for snuggling. 
> 
> Ahem, and that's all she wrote. I'm sorry for the puns. 
> 
> ((never))


End file.
